Literature Review

Should an AI copy of you help decide if you live or die? Doctors share top concerns of AI surrogates aiding life-or-death decisions. Ars Technica; by Ashley Belanger; 10/20/25 For more than a decade, researchers have wondered whether artificial intelligence could help predict what incapacitated patients might want when doctors must make life-or-death decisions on their behalf. It remains one of the most high-stakes questions in health care AI today. But as AI improves, some experts increasingly see it as inevitable that digital “clones” of patients could one day aid family members, doctors, and ethics boards in making end-of-life decisions that are aligned with a patient’s values and goals.

[England] Ambulance team uses advanced ultrasound to help frail patients avoid hospital trips Emergency Services Times; by James Devonshire; 10/16/25 The East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) is using cutting-edge medical technology to help elderly and end-of-life care patients receive treatment in their own homes, reducing the need for hospital admissions. The service’s advanced practice (urgent care) team has introduced point of care ultrasound (POCUS)—a portable diagnostic tool previously reserved for critically ill patients—to assess bladder and urinary conditions safely and effectively in community settings. Using the handheld Butterfly ultrasound device, paramedics can perform scans and interpret results via software on iPads, allowing for faster and more accurate diagnoses.

Pulse check: Status update on pediatric palliative and hospice community-based coverageJournal of Palliative Medicine; by Meaghann S Weaver, Alix Ware, Deborah Fisher, Betsy Hawley, Holly Davis, Lisa C Lindley, Steven M Smith, Conrad S P Williams, Tej Chana, Christy Torkildson; 9/25Half (49%) of [the country's surveyed hospice and palliative] organizations reported increasing the number of pediatric patients accepted into their care over the past five years. Programs are less likely to include perinatal (61%) patients compared to infants through young adults (94%). Trauma increased as a reason for pediatric enrollment. Nonmetro geographies are less likely to provide services for children. The pediatric palliative average annual census was 271, and the pediatric hospice average annual census was 74. The pediatric patient's average length of stay for palliative care was 154 days and for hospice was 96 days, [with] Medicaid (47%) [being] ... the most common form of reimbursement. Lack of trained personnel, low referrals, and funding were depicted as the most common barriers.

Palliative care at the cutting edge: Recent updates in surgical palliative careJournal of Pain and Symptom Management; by Antoinette R Esce, T J Douglas, Elizabeth Gorman, Sophia Tam, Christopher D Woodrell, Ana Berlin; 9/25Surgical patients with serious illness often experience unique clinical trajectories, systems of care, and relationships with providers. In order to meet the needs of this patient population and their care teams, hospice and palliative medicine professionals should be familiar with evolving best practices in surgical palliative care. We present the case of a geriatric trauma patient with a new diagnosis of advanced cancer cared for in a surgical intensive care unit. This example highlights important new developments in defining and supporting the geriatric trauma population, improving and expanding surgical palliative care education, and identifying which seriously ill surgical patients benefit most from palliative care interventions.

Impact of the Affordable Care Act on palliative and hospice care utilization among patients with gastrointestinal cancers: An interrupted time series analysisJournal of Palliative Medicine; by Eshetu Worku, Selamawit Woldesenbet, Mujtaba Khalil, Timothy M Pawlik; 9/25The Affordable Care Act (ACA) aimed to expand insurance coverage, improve health outcomes, and reduce costs. We assessed the impact of the ACA on hospice or palliative care utilization among [Medicare] patients with stage IV gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. Patients from minority racial groups ... and those in moderate ... and high ... Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) counties were less likely to use palliative care in both pre- and post-ACA eras. Palliative care use was associated with $2,633 lower total expenditure. Conclusion: ACA implementation did not improve palliative care utilization for racial minorities and high SVI groups.

Center provides hospice care options The Laker / Lutz News, New Port Richey, FL; Press Release; 10/15/25 Gulfside Healthcare Services celebrated the opening of its newest inpatient care facility Sept. 19 in New Port Richey. Guests not only toured patient rooms and family areas but also applauded the announcement of a gift by Dr. Jay Weil. The new care center will be called the Dr. Jay Weil Center for Hospice Care in honor of his generosity. Gulfside Healthcare Services celebrated the opening of its newest inpatient care facility Sept. 19 in New Port Richey. Guests not only toured patient rooms and family areas but also applauded the announcement of a gift by Dr. Jay Weil. The new care center will be called the Dr. Jay Weil Center for Hospice Care in honor of his generosity.

The Center to Advance Palliative Care and the National Kidney Foundation make the case for the integration of palliative care into kidney disease management PR Newswire, New York; by The Center to Advance Palliative Care; 10/8/25 Despite facing high rates of distressing symptoms—including fatigue, pruritus, and pain—people living with advanced kidney disease are far less likely than those with cancer to receive appropriate pain and symptom management. And fewer than 10% of older adults receiving dialysis report having had conversations about their goals of care. These are two of the many important statistics highlighted in The Case for Palliative Care in Kidney Care, a new publication from the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) and the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), which emphasizes the critical need to integrate palliative care services into the treatment of patients with advanced kidney disease. 

Stiff person syndrome in the hospice patient: A case report and discussion  Journal of Palliative Medicine; by Molly Svendsen, B Parker Layton, Shiri Etzioni, Mark Edwin; 10/13/25 Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) is a rare, progressive autoimmune neurological disorder characterized by painful spasms, muscle rigidity, and heightened sensitivity to external stimuli. Management often relies on therapies that fall outside standard hospice formularies, creating challenges in end-of-life care for affected individuals. ... This case highlights the need for flexible, patient-centered approaches in hospice care for rare neurological conditions like SPS. Continuation of disease-specific therapies for symptom palliation can be ethically and clinically appropriate when integrated with clear goals of care. 

Inside the hospice that feels like home: How Omega House catches those who fall through the cracks ABC KTRK-13, Houston, TX; by Brittaney Wilmore; 10/13/25 Retired teacher Eleanor Munger opened Omega House in 1986 in Montrose, pioneering care for dying HIV/AIDs patients. ... Sonny and Neil, and perhaps the laughter they bring, are all part of the key ingredients that make up Omega House, a mainstay in Montrose complete with a living room and garden that you might not immediately realize is a hospice. ... But making it feel like home means it's functioning just as founder Eleanor Munger intended it. "She was a retired Montessori school teacher, so she had no medical background whatsoever. She was 74 years old, and she just felt like this was something that people need - a really loving, caring environment," said Omega House director Sandy Stacy.

The Exec: Hamilton Medical Center CMO on incremental successes in change management HealthLeaders; by Christopher Cheney; 10/13/25 In healthcare, attempts to make changes quickly at a grand scale are often unsuccessful, this CMO says. The primary element of success in change management is to pursue a strategy that emphasizes small and incremental changes, according to [Ricard Perez] the new CMO of Hamilton Medical Center in Dalton, Georgia. ... If you are going to be affecting people's daily work lives, your best bet for success is to make sure that those people have some representation at the table," Perez says. "Once you have stakeholders at the table, they can become advocates and catalysts for change because they will have an intricate understanding of why change needs to happen."

Seasons Hospice hosts commemoration as it closes hospice house, forges ahead with in-home care KTTC, Rochester, MN; by Caitlin Alexander; 10/10/25 Local nonprofit organization Seasons Hospice hosted a somber but significant moment on Friday as it commemorated its hospice house. After more than 25 years, Seasons Hospice is closing the doors of the hospice house, as it now shifts its focus to serving patients and families with in-home hospice care. “I had a hard time at first accepting that and getting beyond it, but I did,” one of the founders, Sarah Oehlke, said. “I’m very grateful that you have sustained our quality-of-care standards for all of the years.” “We have together provided comfort, dignity and compassion to countless families during life’s most poignant moments,” Board President Dawn Beck said. ... Seasons Hospice previously spoke about a declining census at the hospice house, especially in recent years, noting the shift toward people wishing to spend their final days in their homes with loved ones.Editor's Note: This Seasons Hospice is in Rochester, Minnesota; not to be confused with other hospice organizations throughout the nation with "seasons" in its name. They gave their hospice house both a "good life" and "a good death." We draw attention to the shift they described "toward people wishing to spend their final days in their homes with loved ones," and will continue to be on the lookout for similar trends. To quote from an ancient poet, "To everything there is a season ..." We wish Seasons Hospice well through its continued transitions.

Care that never gives up - in honour of World Hospice & Palliative Care Day 2025 The Morung Express; by Dr. Victoria Seb, MBBS, PDGDM, FIPM; 10/10/25 Quoting the Father of Medicine, Hippocrates, himself : ‘To cure sometimes, to relieve often, to comfort always’, these timeless words echo deeply the realm of palliative care, reminding us that the heart of healthcare lies not only in curing disease but in easing suffering and preserving dignity. The World Hospice & Palliative Care Day 2025 theme “Achieving the Promise: Universal Access to Palliative Care” calls to action for communities, healthcare systems and policy makers to ensure that palliative care is not a privilege but a universal right – accessible to every person, everywhere. ... In an era marked by medical advancement and increased life expectancy, the demand for holistic, compassionate care at the end of life has never been greater. Yet, despite its proven benefits, access to palliative care remains limited worldwide. The need for palliative care is urgent and growing, especially as populations age and chronic diseases become more prevalent. 

[Brazil] Integrating holistic communication into psychedelic-assisted therapies in hospice and palliative care: An approach based on Peplau's theoryJournal of Holistic Nursing; by Ana Cláudia Mesquita Garcia, Felipe Teixeira, Lucas Oliveira Maia; 9/25 Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) has shown promising results in alleviating psychological and existential suffering among individuals with serious illnesses. This article explores the application of Peplau's Theory of Interpersonal Relations (PTIR) as a foundation for holistic communication in PAT, particularly in hospice and palliative care. We examine how PTIR's core concepts (person, health, environment, and nursing) along with its articulation of therapeutic roles, phases of the nurse–patient relationship, and the concept of anxiety as a signal of unmet needs, can be integrated into PAT's preparation, dosing, and integration phases. Drawing on a fictional case study involving a patient with advanced cancer, we illustrate how nurses can use PTIR to support emotional processing, foster insight, and promote personal growth during psilocybin-assisted therapy.